The Second Time
by Some1tookmyname
Summary: There have been many stories touching on the first time Booth and Brennan were intimate, but then what? What happens after they've agreed to be together? A follow up piece to "The Wait."


_This is a birthday fic for **Darlin'** **Nicki**, because everyone needs a fun surprise every now and then. Happy Birthday, Nicki! I hope this kicks your day off to a good start._

_This is also a follow-up to my story "The Wait." You don't have to have read that at all to understand this, but it may add more depth to this story._

_Special thanks to Baileyjane for her early read through and encouragement and *cupcakes* to my trusty betas, jenlovesbones and jadedrepartee, who take what I do, shake it up, and show me how to do it better. Thanks, Ladies._

* * *

><p><strong>The Second Time<strong>

It had been a "hands-off" kind of day.

This was all new for them. It hadn't even been twenty-four hours since they'd agreed to be a couple, to really move forward, together, with the kind of relationship they'd both secretly (and not so secretly) wanted for so long.

He'd always thought that if (and prayed that it was actually not _if_, but _when_) they crossed that damn line, they would not be able to keep their hands off one another. He had imagined convincing her to call in sick; imagined taking a personal day, or three, or ten or forever, and just spending that time touching her and kissing her and discovering all the things about her he'd never been allowed to know before.

He should have known it wouldn't be that easy.

Vincent Nigel-Murray had been dead less than two days. It had been less than thirty hours since she crept into his room and confessed that she doubted the kind of person that she was. It had been twenty-nine hours since they let down the very last vestiges of fear and self-preservation.

Twenty-nine hours since everything changed.

It had been fifteen hours since he'd found her in his office, her need to see him matching his own need to see her. Fifteen hours since she'd stepped into his arms and counted his heartbeats. Fifteen hours since she'd announced she was no longer impervious. Fifteen hours since he'd said he wasn't angry anymore. Fifteen hours since he'd told her he was all in and wanted to know if she was, too.

Fifteen hours since she'd said yes.

Nine hours ago he'd gone home with her, bushed his teeth next to her, climbed into bed beside her and wrapped his arms around her as if they'd always done things this way. It was familiar, despite its newness, and it was exactly what he'd always hoped for.

They'd gone to sleep, nothing more, and when he woke he realized that for the first time in a long time he felt something. Something new. Something long absent.

Something amazing.

He was happy. Really, truly and completely happy.

He could hear her in her morning routine, heard the front door open and shut, heard some water running, heard the sound of mugs clanging. He imagined she was making coffee.

Then he heard the dish break.

Leaping out of bed, he went running into the kitchen.

To most people a broken dish was no big deal, but to her…it made him panic on her behalf. It was unlike her to break something and a dish…

"I'm fine, Booth. Just…don't step any closer." She stopped him in his tracks before he could say a word. "I don't want you to get a sliver in your foot."

It wasn't a dish, but rather a coffee mug that lay in a thousand ceramic shards on the floor with only the handle left intact as evidence of what it had once been.

"What happened?" Clumsiness was out of character for her and it concerned him.

"Nothing. It just slipped out of my fingers." She didn't make eye contact, but rather kept busy on her haunches, picking out the largest pieces of the mug and depositing them in the small garbage can she'd retrieved from under the sink.

"Bones…" He spied an open newspaper and began to piece together what might have happened.

"Can you grab the dustpan from that cabinet, please? If you go around that way you should be safe." She traced an arc over the floor where she was directing him to walk, but still refused to look at him.

"Bones…"

"You know what, never mind. Shards can scatter far. I'll get it." She stood and started to turn away from him.

"Here's the thing," he said, catching her hand with his and reaching to the counter behind her with the other, picking up the newspaper. "I'm a trained FBI agent. I notice things. I'm pretty good at putting two and two together. And so when I see this," he pointed to a picture of Vincent Nigel-Murray's grinning face on the front page, "and that" he said, pointing to the broken mug. "I have to assume the two things are related."

She let out a deep, slightly shaky breath, her eyes now focused on the paper in Booth's hand. "I always open the paper while I make coffee. I knew I would see Broadsky, but I didn't expect to see Vincent. It startled me."

"And you dropped the mug."

"Yes."

She still wouldn't meet his gaze, so he put a knuckle under her chin and brought her eyes to his. "It's okay that it's still hard, Bones."

Her eyes became glossy and filled with tears. "I was just surprised. I'm alright now."

"You sure?"

"Yes." She stepped back from him, her stoicism returning. "I just need to clean up the mess. Would you like some coffee?"

"Sure." He felt backwards somehow. He had expected domesticity and ease and perhaps some stolen kisses, not tears and upset and stilted conversation. Could nothing be simple?

"Here, I'll get this." He took the dustpan from her hands. "You get the coffee."

"Watch your feet." She cautioned.

"I will."

She went to the counter and opened an overhead cabinet, carefully taking out another mug. He fastidiously swept up every last bit of mug dust and dumped the remains in the garbage, accepting his cup of coffee from her after he put the dustpan away.

"I'm still trying to adjust." She said quietly into her coffee as she leaned against one counter and he leaned against another.

"We aren't talking about the kid and Broadsky."

"Not entirely."

"Can we just…let it happen? I mean, we shouldn't over think it, right? We'll just keep going like we always have, but with this new stuff going on."

"I do rather like the new stuff." Her eyes twinkled over the rim of her mug and it made him smile like a fool.

"Me too."

"But if we are going about business as usual, then today is a work day and I have to get to the lab."

"Well, I didn't mean…"

"And I'm sure you have paperwork to finish."

"Yeah. Yeah. I do." He wasn't going to win this, he knew.

"Then I will shower first."

He had visions of joining her in the shower, of kissing her underneath the hot spray of water, of washing her hair for her. He swallowed hard, thinking of her hands soaping up his back and-

"If you use the other bathroom, we will be ready much faster."

And just like that, she quickly dashed his daydreams. He cleared his throat. "Um, sure. I, uh, I have to run by my place, though. I need a clean suit."

"Perhaps you should go now, then and I could just meet you later? We could have lunch at the diner."

"Are you pushing me out the door, Bones?" He tried to sound casual, but he was half-serious, because he did feel a bit pushed.

"No, I'm merely attempting to facilitate an efficient morning routine and since you have to go home anyway, my suggestion would seem the most prudent use of our time."

"Soooo, yeah. You are pushing me out the door." He put down his mug down and walked out of the kitchen.

"Booth…"

He started down the hall towards the bedroom. "I'll see you for lunch, then."

"Booth!"

He didn't stop. Entering the bedroom, he crossed to the chair where he'd left his shirt the night before.

"I'm sorry." She blurted from the doorway of the bedroom. "I'm…I'm not always going to be good at this."

He turned to face her. "It's fine, Bones." He smiled as he realized it really was fine. "Really." This was who she was: logical and practical, even to a fault.

And he loved that about her, even when it kicked him in the gut a bit. "I'll come get you for lunch."

She nodded and before he could cross the room to kiss her goodbye, she had slipped into the bathroom and shut the door, locking it behind her.

He shook his head, still smiling as he finished getting dressed. It seemed the learning curve would be steep for both of them.

He wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

><p>"Booth! What are you doing here?" Cam sidled up next to him as he entered the lab.<p>

"I came to take Bones to lunch. Is she in her office?"

"She shouldn't be. I told her to go home."

"What? Why? Is something wrong?" He stopped mid walk.

"Noooo." The pathologist cocked her head as if she were picking up on something. "I sent everyone home. It's been a long week and they're fixing the glass that broke when Vincent…" She paused and blinked hard, collecting herself. "Anyway, we can't be in the area where they are working and I just thought we could use a three-day weekend, so…"

"Yeah. It's been rough. You doing alright?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "How are you doing?"

"We're fine."

She smiled. "I guess so."

"What's that mean?"

"I asked how you were doing. I meant you, Seeley Booth, FBI agent, capturer of former colleague-gone-rogue," Her smile grew "And I got back a 'we' response. As in you and Dr. Brennan, I assume?"

He was busted and he knew it. "Well, you know, it's….complicated."

"I'm thinking that for once, maybe it's not."

Now his smile matched hers. "Maybe not." He looked towards his partner's office and then back at his Cam. "It's a work-in-progress, you know? We're…figuring things out."

"I'm glad." Her voice was warm and happy for him and it made him grateful for good friends.

"So, do you know where she went?"

"Well I said she _shouldn't_ be in her office, not that she _isn't_ in her office. I'd start there."

"Right." He nodded, a knowing smile crossing his face. He took two steps towards his partner's office, then stopped and turned around. "Thanks, Cam, for…" He shrugged his shoulders. "Thanks."

"Be happy, Seeley. Something good should come from all of this."

"I am, Camille."

"Don't call me Camille."

"Then don't call me Seeley."

The comfort of the old joke and the support of an old friend put a lightness in his gait as he headed to Brennan's office.

He raised his hand to tap lightly on the doorframe, but stopped short of actually doing so. Instead he watched her type furiously on her laptop. Her fingers flew, pounding on the keys as her brow furrowed and he could practically see her thinking.

What he wanted to do was shut the door and kiss her senseless.

What he did do was knock.

She jumped a bit. "Booth! Is it lunch time?"

"Yeah. And I know Cam told everyone to take a three-day weekend. So why are you still here?"

"I have work to do. And…" she trailed off.

"And?"

"And you don't have the afternoon off, so I didn't have anything better to do, really."

He thought his heart might just burst into pieces and in his happiness he made an impetuous decision. "Well, I'm taking the rest of the day, too. Pack up. We're out of here."

"Wh…Where are we going?"

"Anywhere we want." He grinned. "But lunch first. That coffee from this morning has worn off."

She held his gaze as her smile spread across her face and lit up her eyes. "Okay. I am at a good stopping point." As she began to shut down her computer and shove a few files into her bag, he marveled at how quickly she'd given in. "The diner, first?"

"Sounds good."

She walked to him then and his heart beat wildly in his chest. She was so close and he was allowed to kiss her now. But he was frozen in the moment. It was still so surreal. She took hold of the bottom of his tie, fingering the fabric for a moment before dropping it and stepping backwards to head out of her office. "We should go."

And like so many times before, he had to take a few quick, long strides to catch up to her as they walked out the door.

* * *

><p>The afternoon was ordinary.<p>

Except it wasn't.

They had lunch at the diner. He got a burger with fries; she got a veggie sandwich with a side of fruit and ate his fries. The conversation was about nothing in particular.

Just like usual.

Only it wasn't.

She reached for a fry as he reached for his sandwich and when their fingers brushed Booth felt his breath catch and he saw her eyes blink in surprise. Surprise at what, he didn't know, but he saw it there just the same.

At one point she smiled into her glass of water and he couldn't help but grin too, though nothing amusing had been said.

It was, in many ways, like a hundred lunches they'd had before.

But it sure wasn't the same.

They did every day, boring things after lunch. She had books to return to the library, he had dry cleaning to retrieve. She needed to stop at a florist to order flowers to be sent to Vincent Nigel-Murray's service; he needed to buy stamps at the Post Office.

And when she told him she needed groceries, he pushed the cart for her, watching in awe as she pulled items off the shelf that were clearly for him. Seeing his favorite chips and oatmeal and cookies in the cart with her favorite whole grain crackers and tofu and leafy greens gave him the oddest thrill.

They were, he mused with amazement, like an old married couple, and the thought made him giddy.

"Shall I cook dinner?" She broke him out of his thoughts.

"Do you want to?"

She shrugged. "I'm not really that hungry yet."

"We'll just play it by ear."

She nodded. "I think I have what I need." She motioned at the basked. "We can check out."

It felt incredibly domestic to drive the groceries back to her apartment, to unload them and put them away alongside her in the kitchen.

"You can put your dry cleaning in my closet," she offered. "You wouldn't want it to get wrinkled over the back of the couch."

"Maybe I should just leave it here." He tested the waters. "You know, for when I stay."

She tipped her head to the side and seemed to contemplate his words. For a heart stopping moment he thought perhaps he'd pushed too far.

Then she nodded. "That would probably be wise."

His heart was pounding in his chest as he hung the dry cleaning bag in her closet. It was all so unbelievable. _"I'm hanging my clothes in Bones' closet!" _He didn't think anything could ever wipe the grin off his face.

When he caught a look at himself in the bedroom mirror he saw a happy man staring back at him and shook his head in wonder. It had been a long time since he'd seen that guy…almost as if they'd never truly met until just now and it was somehow fitting that it was in his partner's home that happiness and Booth were becoming well and truly acquainted.

When he emerged he found her still in the kitchen, assembling a large, leafy salad. "It is a little past dinner time and, although we often do, I prefer not to eat too late. I thought something light might be best. I did get some chicken, if you'd like some in your salad."

"No, that's… just salad is good." He wasn't normally a fan, but he couldn't find it within himself to care.

"Okay." She smiled almost shyly. "Can you grab two bowls from the cabinet? And there are assorted dressings in the refrigerator."

He opened the fridge and grabbed his choice. "Which one do you want?"

"The vinaigrette, please."

He set the bottles on the counter and took the bowls out of the overhead cabinets behind her. "Here you go."

It was all so bizarrely awkward in its ordinariness and it seemed to make them both a bit unsure of how to behave.

She didn't say anything when he put on more dressing than she would think was healthy and he didn't comment as he watched her push the greens around rather than eat them and the air was thick with all of their thoughts, but none of their words.

It was she who broke the silence. "Booth," she stabbed at a lettuce leaf and didn't meet his eyes. "What are the rules?"

"The rules…what rules? The rules for us?" He was surprised by the question.

"Yes. I would like to know what our guidelines are."

"Bones, there are no rules, okay? Like I said this morning, let's just…just be and see how that goes."

"That seems unwise." She frowned, the space in between her eyebrows pinching a bit.

"Unwise," he repeated, not as a question, but as if he were trying to understand the word.

"Yes. There are consequences, Booth, for what we are doing now."

"You're making it sound pretty sordid, there, Bones."

"I wanted to kiss you today." She said abruptly.

"You did?" He could barely contain his glee.

"Yes."

"When?"

"At the dry cleaners. That woman came in behind us and she was babbling on and on about being late getting ready for her party. You let her go ahead of us."

"Yeah, well why not, you know?"

"And then she knocked over that entire cup of pens on the counter and you told her to go ahead and go and to enjoy her party and then you picked up all those pens for her."

"You helped."

"But it's _you_, Booth. That woman was so grateful and so was I. Grateful for the good person you are and the kindness you show others and I…I just wanted to kiss you." She was suddenly shy again, looking down at her salad again, rearranging it on her plate. "But I didn't know if that was allowed, so I didn't."

He put down his fork and leaned towards her, taking her hand. "Bones, you kissing me is _always_ allowed."

"And that is why I think rules would be prudent."

"I don't understand."

"Booth, if I had kissed you at the dry cleaners, we could have been seen. Seen by Hacker or another agent or Sweets. Seen by one of my interns or someone else from the lab…"

"You're afraid of the professional fallout."

"Yes. It's a very real possibility that our personal relationship will have professional consequences. And…" she trailed off, looking a little uncertain.

"And?"

"I like the idea of it just being _ours_ right now with no outside influences or opinions…"

"What's ours is ours" He repeated the words from what seemed a lifetime ago. He hesitated a moment. "But, Cam already knows."

She smiled. "So does Angela."

He smiled, too. "So much for just ours."

"They're our friends. I suspect they will be discreet if we ask them to be."

"You want to keep us a secret."

"No…" She shook her head. "No. It's not that. I just…I want it to be private. I'm not saying we have to hide it, but…"

"Maybe just not be too obvious."

"Until we are prepared to deal with whatever comes our way professionally regarding our personal relationship, I think that would be best."

"Plus, it's nice, right? Having this thing that only belongs to us? No one else knows…it's…" He was having trouble coming up with the right word because he was holding her hand and they were leaning close to one another and her eyes were the prettiest shade of blue he'd ever seen. "It's…"

"Yeah. It's…it's sort of… intimate this way. Just ours." Her voice dropped in volume and timbre just a bit and he guessed she was as affected as he was.

He looked around the room exaggeratedly and leaned in closer still. "Well, you know, Bones, the thing is? Right now? There isn't anyone else here."

She smiled that small smile, the one that was a little crooked, a little sassy and a whole lot sexy. The one he was fairly certain she reserved just for him. "That's true. There is no one here to see us."

"Then I'm done waiting, Bones." He started to close the gap between them.

She beat him to it, though, leaning all the way in and brushing his lips gently with her own and then pulling back to register his expression.

He stood, pulling her out of her chair and to her feet, needing to be able to wrap his arms around her as he kissed her for real now. One arm snaked around her waist, drawing her closer, his other hand was still entangled with hers, resting over his heart. He slanted his mouth over hers and captured her lips with his.

It wasn't desperate like he'd thought it might be. It was slow and sweet and soft and when she let out a soft "mmm" from deep within, it wasn't just desire that shot through him.

It was joy.

And at the cost of breaking the kiss, he had one more thing to say.

"Bones…"

"It's going to take a bit for me to get used to being able to do that." She admitted.

"Not me."

"No?"

"Bones, it's been a long road. A long, crazy, ridiculous road for us to get here. But this? This is where we are supposed to be."

"Making out next to my kitchen table?"

He opened his mouth to explain what he meant when he saw the glint in her eye. "You can be funny all you want, Bones, but you know I'm right. This is where we are supposed to be."

She tilted her head to the side. "Fate?" she asked with a bit of an indulgent smirk.

"Yeah. You, me, us, this…it's fate."

"I don't believe in fate." It was almost a habit.

"That's okay." He told her the only thing he could think to say. "I believe enough for the both of us."

Her grin spread across her face. "I can live with that." She said.

The slow sweetness of the last kiss only lasted a second or two into the next one before they caught fire. Another "mmm" from her was all it took for his fingers to begin to roam. He followed the line of her jaw, down to her neck before his fingers found the buttons to her blouse and began to tug at them.

She laughed into his mouth. "They're decorative." She stepped back and quickly pulled the top over her head. "See?"

"Yeah." He swallowed hard, his eyes raking over her. "I see." He was drawn to the spot just above her collarbone and leaned forward to lick and nip at it.

Brennan moaned as his lips seared her skin. As if they had a mind of their own, her hands flew to his head, her fingers braiding themselves into his hair as she gasped, pleasure shooting through her body. Every nerve ending was on fire and his mouth on her felt so good it was almost painful.

"Booth…oh…" His name slipped from her lips on a breathless whisper as his tongue made a slow decent to the edge of her bra, then traced the line where lace met skin. She could feel his hot breath on her breast and her desire to feel his skin against hers became an all consuming need.

"Off!" She commanded, running her palm down his row of buttons, tugging at his shirt, too impatient to attempt to unbutton them herself.

He pulled back and yanked at the open neck of his shirt, sending the top three buttons flying across the room. He swept both his shirt and undershirt off in one swoop and tossed them aside as her hands followed in their wake, her fingers trailing up his abdomen and over his chest.

He groaned deep in his throat as her fingers danced over his skin, burning him with her hot touch. As her hands explored his chest, his own hands traced the length of her spine to the line of her bra. She smoothed her tongue over his earlobe, pressing against him and whispered "Take it off."

He didn't fumble. With one tug he snapped the clasp open and ran the straps down her arms and dropped it to the floor. She swayed dangerously and her head fell back from pleasure as he sucked her nipple into his mouth.

She gasped and had to steady herself by holding onto his shoulders, as he kissed his way to her other breast, paying it equal attention. "Mmmmmm." She moaned, her nails digging into the flesh at the top of his back.

He laved her nipple, then released her from his mouth with a delicious pop. He stared at her for just a moment, then captured her lips again, exploring her mouth with his tongue as he propelled her backwards down the hall, towards her bedroom.

He didn't stop until the back of her knees hit the mattress and her mouth was forced from his as she fell backwards onto the bed. Catching herself, she maintained a sitting position that brought her directly to eye level with his erection. A slow smile spread across her face as she wickedly ran her hand up his thigh and cupped him before moving both hands to his cocky belt buckle to undo it.

She didn't think she would ever forget the sound it made as it came undone. The clang of the metal as it loosened for her pinged loudly. Booth's breath noticeably hitched at the noise, anticipating what she might do next.

She didn't disappoint, undoing his pants and tugging them to his knees before reaching into his boxers and fisting him, pumping gently while laying hot, wet kisses on his abs.

"Bones...Bones…Bones…" He chanted her name, the one that was just theirs, over and over, growing harder as her hand thoroughly worked him. "Oh God…you're gonna have to stop that." He curled his fists, fighting for control as he bucked into her hand when she swiped her thumb over the head of his cock.

"You want me to stop _this_?" She teased, using her thumb to spread the moisture pearling at his tip and scraping his shaft with her nails.

"Want is…ah…the wrong word, but…guh…" He grabbed her wrist to stop her. "There is no way I'm coming without you." He moved his hand to her shoulder and gave her a gentle nudge. "Lay back."

Shaking in anticipation, she did as instructed. She watched as he slowly peeled off her tight jeans, kissed down her thigh and then her calves, his slow descent driving her crazy with need. When he got to her feet, he lifted her left leg first, pulling the pant leg over her foot and off before swirling his tongue over her ankle.

"Booth!" she gasped as the sensation darted up her leg and into her core like electric volts of want.

He smiled against her skin at the gasp and lowered her leg to picked up the other. He finished removing her jeans and lifter her ankle to his mouth, this time gently scraping her ankle with his teeth.

"Oh God! Booth…please…"

Putting her leg down, he slowly let his tongue bring him back up her leg, past her knee and to her center, where he blew a hot, slow breath over the scrap of fabric that still separated her from his mouth. She quaked at the sensation, which encouraged him to keep playing. He did everything but touch her where she wanted it most. He tortured her upper thighs with gentle nips and slow lazy circles of his tongue. He palmed her buttocks and rasped over her hipbone until she vibrated beneath his ministrations.

"Are you ready?" He knew the answer, but pushed her panties aside and dipped his finger into her anyway, wanting to hear and feel her reaction.

"Oh God, so ready. So…ready…AH!"

He smiled and dipped in two fingers now and swiping his thumb over her swollen clit.

"Booth!" It was nearly a scream and he found that the sight of her writhing beneath his touch, the sound of her voice in sweet agony, was one of the biggest turn-ons he'd ever experienced.

He rubbed her, pumping two fingers in and out as his thumb lazily traced her sensitive nub.

"Feel good, Bones?"

"So, good." She moaned breathily, clutching at the bedding beneath her fingers. Her hips caught his rhythm and he could feel her growing tighter and wetter with each stroke. _"Booth…"_

Her moans became a whimper when he pulled his fingers from her body and divested her of the deep crimson panties he vaguely realized were a match for the bra that lay discarded in the dining room. His eyes didn't leave hers as he quickly stepped out of the pants that had still been around his calves and pushed off his boxers and socks in two quick motions. He licked his lips in anticipation as she smiled and positioned herself on the bed for him.

She put her hand out in invitation and he took it, kissing her wrist before covering her with his body. He kissed her tenderly, his erection pressing against her hip as she rose up beneath him.

"You are…" he kissed her again. "So gorgeous, Bones. Do you have any idea how pretty you are?"

She flushed a deeper shade of pink than the arousal had already made her." That's who you are, too, Booth." She whispered. "You make me feel beautiful."

Her confession was more than he had anticipated and suddenly he wanted nothing but to show her what she meant to him.

He positioned himself over her center and teased her entry with his head while he marked her neck with his mouth, but soon it wasn't enough for either one of them.

Their eyes locked as he slipped deep inside of her and her entire body surged up to meet his. Her back arched gracefully, her head tilting back as her eyes fell shut.

"No." He whispered. "No, I want…" He struggled with words, wanting only one thing more than to just find his rhythm and bring them both to the brink. "Open your eyes. I want to see them. I want…I want you to see me."

She did as he asked, and as soon as she was able to see through her haze of desire into his eyes, as soon as she could focus and match his gaze, he felt his heart skip and he imagined it was syncing its beat with hers.

He pulled out, his motions smooth and slow, then sank back into her and it took everything she had not to close her eyes against the pleasure. Then he did it again, and then again, lusciously slow, going just a bit further each time.

"Booth!" She was breathless, her voice a scratchy whisper, the way he'd already grown to love after hearing it that way only once before. It was a breathless tone that only he would ever get to hear from now on. The thought made him quicken his pace and her eyes threatened to flutter closed.

"Stay with me." he groaned, moving faster, lost in the depths of her eyes and in the total ecstasy that was looming.

"Oh, God…" she gasped. "Yes! Booth!" Her fingers kneaded his lower back, her hips thrusting upwards, as she wrapped one leg around him and braced one foot against the wooden bed frame for better leverage.

"Yeah, Bones. Say it again…" He dropped his forehead into her neck, overwhelmed by her effect on him.

"Booth…" She dragged it out, long, slow and husky with want.

He growled. There was something about the way she said his name into his ear, against his neck. It was primal and it made him tighten, and piston into her faster. He could feel her clawing his ass, pulling him closer, wanting him further inside her.

"Jesus…" he was close already. "Bones…"

"Wait…wait…" She slowed her movements. Her hands came to rest against his chest, silently begging him to so stop.

"What…?" He was panting, buried deep inside her, his body aching for release.

"I…" Her voice cracked a little, tears welling and spilling over.

His only thought now was of her and how to help. "_Baby_…" He whispered, wiping her tears with his thumb as he cupped her face.

"It's…I don't…" She struggled, trying to convey the emotions that were overwhelming her.

"I know."

"I think…"

He covered her lips with one finger. "Don't. Don't think. Just _feel_ it. "

"I am! It's…" For an author and genius she was stunned at her sudden vocabulary failure.

"Intense?"

She nodded and he smiled, sliding his hand down her cheek.

And with certainty, she knew.

Forget chemicals, and scientific explanations and logical reasoning.

She loved him. She _loved_ him. Everything about him. His handsome face, his kind eyes, his loyalty, his integrity, his way with people, his capacity to love. She loved the way he loved her, the way he loved his son, the way he loved his friends and family. The way he loved and lived life…it was intoxicating. _He _was intoxicating and she thought she might never get enough.

Was this what forever felt like? Was this what it meant to "just know?" The tender expression on Booth's face was a bit blurry from the tears that were pooling in her eyes.

He brushed a lock of hair from her cheek and tucked it behind her ear. He'd never make her say it if she wasn't ready. He never wanted to have to pry it out of her. Up until this moment the one truth that Seeley Booth knew for certain in this world was that he loved her. But now he knew a second truth.

She loved him back. It was written all over her face. It was in the way she traced his jaw line with a feather-light fingertip. It was in the way she still looked devastated when she ran her hand over the scar from a bullet that was meant for her. It was in the tears that slipped quietly down her face, in her loss of words to explain how she felt and in the way she pushed up to kiss him softly.

In that moment, the night became so much more than it had been before.

The kiss was soft and sweet, and though they were naked and joined and more than half way to nirvana, it was not sexual.

What it was, was something neither of them would ever be able to explain with words, but that they both could feel nonetheless. There was a pull, a click, a melding of everything within them. Their souls were not just intertwined, but rather they became one soul, one stronger force, one brighter light than either of then could ever have been on their own.

This moment, this instance, this pause before the finish, was something greater than either of them as ever experienced before. It was a connection, an affirmation.

It was their truth. Just theirs. No one else could see it or feel it. It couldn't be quantified by evidence or science. It couldn't be reasoned out by note cards or hunches.

But it was real. More real than anything they'd known before.

And it changed everything.

All their history was in that kiss. All the friendship, support, partnership and longing was behind it. The fear, the anger, the uncertainty? It was all gone.

Their words the evening before might have said what they both wanted. Their actions in the darkness after Vincent Nigel-Murray's death might have paved the way.

But this moment was its own entity. It was so much more than saying all the right words, so much more than agreeing to move forward.

This _was_ that forward motion.

Her lips parted against his and he slid his tongue inside her mouth, exploring her, tasting her, as if he were discovering something new, and perhaps he was.

She made the smallest mewling sound from the back of her throat and her hands flew behind his head where she sank her fingers into his hair and pulled them both down, so that she was flat beneath him.

The kiss went unbroken, her tongue now dancing with his, until they both tasted salt from tears and neither of them could be entirely sure whose tears they were.

It had taken so long to get to this point that the disbelief and relief was more than either of them could contain.

He tore his lips from hers and kissed away the wet trails on her face as she stroked her fingers up and down his back, leaving a path of heat where she'd touched.

"Bones…" he whispered softly as he softly began to suckle her earlobe.

"Mmmmmm" was all she was capable of as her fingers continued their exploration of the taut muscles underneath them.

He pushed up onto his hands to see her face. "I'm…" He was at a loss for words.

"I know." She brought her hand to his cheek. It was her turn to reassure. "Me too."

Possessively, he recaptured her mouth, this kiss stronger, more demanding, but no less sweet. She answered back, matching him completely, lips accepting and giving, her fingernails scraping at the nape of his neck and the base of his spine.

Slowly, slowly their bodies began to move together again. Her hips began with the smallest of motions, his rhythm catching on and increasing their pace.

"Oh!" The breathy exclamation escaped her lips as he moved his mouth down her neck and to her chest, gently taking one pearling nipple in between his lips and sucking gently. "Oh, god." She moaned, as he let go of her breast and kissed his way to the other, repeating his actions as he continued to pump languidly into her.

"Harder. I want, oh god, I want …"

He knew what she wanted and was happy to oblige. He settled his hands on either side of her head and kissed her, all the while quickening the pace at which he plunged in and out of her.

He let out an unintelligible groan as she rose up to meet him each time. "Bones, oh…uh…" His lips were fire next to her ear, his breath spreading warmth throughout her body.

"Booth!" She was getting close. She could feel the buzzing of orgasm's onset rising in her stomach. She grabbed the sheet beneath her, desperate for an anchor before she splintered, so he gave her one, taking her hand in his and placing it over her head, weaving their fingers together.

He slid his other strong hand under her buttocks, angling her up towards him, allowing him to go deeper into her.

Her walls were soft and wet and began a gentle vibrating around him as her thighs clamped tightly against him, drawing him closer. "Booth, Booth, Booth…Yes, oh yes, I'm…oh…"

"Come on, Baby, that's it." He urged her on, knowing with her release would come his own.

She began to shudder underneath him as her center rose off the bed and against his own. A silent howl screamed from her lips and she began to milk him with her core, trembling almost violently in his arms.

"Yeah! That's it! Oh GOD!" He stroked into her one last time and came apart, emptying into her with a ferocity he'd never experienced before. Tiny purple blasts of light danced in front of his eyes as he stilled and they both rode out their orgasms together.

"Ah. Ah. Ah." She panted, her head turned to the side as she attempted to come down from her high.

He collapsed onto her, burying his face in her neck, unable to make any sounds at all.

They laid that way for quite a while, their breathing evening out, their minds coming back to earth, slowly becoming aware of outside street noises and the quiet ticking of a clock.

"I'm crushing you." He noticed, but made no effort to move.

"I like it." She murmured, lazily running one hand up and down his spine.

"You like it?" He chuckled and kissed her cheek before locking his elbows to look at her.

The truth was that she did like it. She liked the weight. His warm body covering hers…it felt good. It felt safe.

It felt real.

"Yes." She said sincerely and he laughed more wholeheartedly now. "Why is that funny?"

"I don't know. I just don't think most people would enjoy being crushed."

"I am not most people."

He grinned and leaned in to kiss her. "This I know." Wrapping one arm around her waist, he rolled her with him, so she now laid halfway on him, nestled firmly against him, her head on his chest. The fingers that had been so busy on his back now began to make a slow trail from his chest to his stomach and back again. He couldn't help but drop several small kisses on the top of her head. "But how's this?" He whispered into her hair.

"This is good, too," she murmured, drowsiness setting in.

"Yeah?"

"Mmm." Her hand stilled over his heart and she turned just a bit further into him, beginning to drift towards pleasant dreams.

"Bones?"

She stepped back off the precipice of sleep just a bit. "Hmm?"

"This _is_ where we are supposed to be, you know?"

She couldn't argue it anymore. She didn't even want to. "Yes."

It was quiet then, as slumber and contentment enveloped them both into the night.

_~End~_


End file.
